She was back again, sitting at that same table, all alone, again. I sighed and poured her usual, she'd come for it soon enough. She looked up as I approached her table.

"Hi," she smiled as she took the coffee from my hand.

"Niña….,"

She fished the money from her pocket.

"Thanks,"

I sighed and took the money, "Whoever, you're waiting for isn't coming, Niña,"

"He might,"

"It's been four months, I think it's safe to say he won't"

She sipped her coffee and stared out the window, "He might,"

I ground my teeth, "You could do so much better than some jerk who's left you waiting in a Fucking Starbucks for almost half a year!"

"He'll be here,"

"You are aware that you are not in a fairytale, yes?"

"He'll be here," she insisted

"…. if you say so," I mumbled as I left her to continue waiting for her fairy-tale prince.

"Here,"

"That's not my usual,"

I shook my head "It's a Caramel Frappucino,"

She eyed me "isn't that like an eight dollar drink?"

"Yes"

She eyed the drink wantonly.

"It's on the house," I informed her.

"that's a lot," she bit her lip.

"Just drink it" I demanded as I sat down.

"Does this come with some sort of lecture?"

"Not today," I rested my chin in my hand, "Tell me about yourself,"

The ghost of a smile played on her lips, "What do you want to know?"

I shrugged, " I don't really care, anything. What's your favorite color? Your favorite band? Your preference in… gum?"

She laughed lightly, "gum?"

"Anything,"

"I like Starbucks,"

I rolled my eyes, "No shit, what else?"

"The weirdest guys talk to me and buy me drinks laced with drugs."

"Only the most expensive ones too."

She smiled and placed a loose strand of auburn hair behind her ear, "So, why now?"

"Pardón?"

"Why're you talking to me now?",

"I thought you might like some company, that's all"

Her eyes sparkled with a hint of interest, "What makes you think I want your company?"

"I don't see anyone else stepping forward,"

She smiled, "I guess I haven't got much of a choice then,"

I smiled brightly, "I could leave if you like," I teased

"No, that's okay," she rushed, "I don't mind the company,"

Her eyes lit up when she spoke. I wonder if she knew, if anyone had ever told her how her smile illuminated her entire face. How her laugh filled the room with the sounds of love and ecstasy. How her lips moved so deliberately and defined, in a way that dared you to defy the words that spilled forth.

"what about you?"

My ears pricked at the question, "I'm sorry, 'what about me' what?"

"tell me about yourself"

I chuckled, "what would you like to know?"

"Oh, anything,"

"Well, I love that chick on the Orbit commercials; my fave kind is that spearmint flavor,"

She began to laugh uncontrollably. A sort of pride welled up in my chest that I could make her feel this way, but it was soiled by the twinge of anger I felt at anyone who had ever hurt her, all the people who would. I didn't want that to happen.

"Starrk!" I looked up at my boss, startled by the annoyance in his voice.

"Yes, sir?"

"Your break is over," he informed.

I sighed, "Okay, sir, I'll be right there,"

He rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath as he walked away.

I sighed, "Sorry about that,"

She smiled, "It's cool, I'll just waste all of your break tomorrow,"

I grinned, "Sounds like a plan,"

"Do you ever dream of getting away from here?"

"Sometimes," I admitted, "but what's the point in going off somewhere to live out a dream if you don't have all the necessary pieces?"

"like money?"

I chuckled, "like someone to share your dreams with,"

"And you think you're gonna find this person here?"

I shrugged, "I can hope, right? As you pointed out, I don't have a lot of money to go out and look for her,"

She smiled, "And what about you?" I questioned.

"I dunno," she mused, "I think, maybe, being here wouldn't be so bad if I had someone,"

"If your mystery man comes back that is, right?"

Some foreign emotion played across her face for a split second, "Yes, if he ever shows up,"

"If not, are you…..," I paused.

"Am I what?

"…going to leave?"

She laughed, "are you worried? If I do, you won't have anyone to talk to anymore, will you feel lonely?" she teased.

I gave her a weak smile, "I'm more worried about my tips lowering, that's all," I returned.

She laughed, "Well, good, I'm glad my leaving wont hurt anything but your pocketbook,"

"….. you really would leave?"

She shrugged, "If the person I'm waiting for doesn't show up, yeah, probably,"

I swallowed the bile that had collected in my throat. "M….. my breaks over, sorry, I'll see you tomorrow." I rasped.

"Oh, okay, well-"

"Bye," I muttered as I ran off.

I peered at the corner table again.

"She hasn't been back since you upset her, staring at the table will not make her appear,"

I glared at my pale coworker, "You are less than helpful, Ulquiorra,"

"I'm not the one that so rudely rushed out on her two months ago,"

I winced, "Please don't remind me how long its been, it makes me feel like she's never coming back,"

"Maybe she's not,"

"Dude! Not helping!"

"I'm sorry, I simply do not understand what was so hard about telling this girl you liked her, it's not as though she had someone else."

"The guy she was waiting for," I reminded.

Jade eyes probed my face for some sort of understanding, as if there was something going on that they couldn't believe I'd missed.

"….what?"

"I do not understand how you can be so smart and so …..stupid all at the same time, it astounds me."

I frowned, "I'm not stupid,"

Ulquiorra rolled his eyes (yes, the fucker rolled his eyes at me!) and sighed. "No, of course not," He hung up his apron, "Come on, I'll buy you a drink."

"Holy crap! It's really coming down out there!" I lightly shook of the excess water in my hair and pulled on my apron.

"This weather is fuckin' miserable," Grimmjow hissed. "I don't see how anything could make this a good day,"

"Maybe not for you, but for Starrk….,"

My eyes searched Ulquiorra's face for some sort of explanation. "Maybe for me, what?"

"Nothing, you better clock in before Aizen docks your pay for being late again,"

I sighed heavily and clocked in, I walked to the counter and began searching for a filter so that I could begin brewing the days coffee.

"Excuse me,"

"One moment" I mumbled from where I sat on the floor, looking for those stupid filters that were nowhere to be found.

"The filters are up here," the voice interrupted my grumbling.

"Well what in all of Fuck's name are they-" my throat ran dry as she placed the bag of filters in my hand.

"You might want to watch that language," she chided.

"S...sorry," I stuttered

She smiled, "Well, go on, you know what I like,"

I nodded silently and set to work, absently wondering where my coworkers were at this point, because I was very close to passing out at that moment.

"H…here you are,"

She smiled and placed a green and black package in my hand, "Keep the change," she laughed as she went to sit at her table.

I stared dumbly at the package of spearmint Orbit in my palm while she calmly sipped her coffee and stared at the rain.

"Gum?"

"That wasn't cool," I growled, "Leaving me like that what the Fuck you guys?"

Grimmjow cackled, "Dirty mouth?" he mocked in what was probably the worst British accent ever.

I glared at him, "Move the fucking filters again and ill kick your ass,"

He laughed and began tending to the coffee machines.

"You know," Ulquiorra began quietly, " it was raining like this the first day she began to sit at that table,"

"So?"

"So it's been four months and she's back, don't fuck this up,"

I sighed and slowly walked over to where she sat, "….. You're back,"

She nodded and continued to stare at the rain.

"…..why?"

She turned to face me, "Did you not want me to?"

I shrugged. "I don't really care,"

Anger flashed in her eyes, "Then I guess I'm leaving,"

"No, wait," I caught her hand, "Please don't, I didn't mean that,"

She eyed me, "Like you didn't mean it last time?"

"There it is,"

She blinked in confusion, "There what is?"

"I thought you were mad at me, and that's why you didn't come back, so I was… wondering what changed your mind,"

A smile overtook her face at some private joke. "I missed you,"

I tugged her hand a little, forcing her to sit back down, and then I held it in between my two hands. "I missed you too…. A lot," I admitted after a few moments.

"Why?"

"I don't know why! You frustrate me! Waiting everyday in a freaking coffee shop for some make-believe prince. And then your adamance about him ever coming back for you, and then making me fall in love with you and then leaving me for a whole four months! And then you just show up one day and-"

"I did what?"

I stared at her incredulously, "I really have to repeat all of that?"

She shook her head, "Just the next to last thing you said,"

I gave an aggravated sigh, "I don't remember, it was an angry outburst, and I wasn't thinking,"

"I'm pretty sure you remember, or at least I hope you do, because if you don't, this entire morning was a waste of time,"

I stared at her for awhile, trying to understand what she was thinking, what she was saying, what she was asking.

"I love you," I resigned, "It's crazy and stupid, and like something out of the lower end of the Grimm brother's minds, but I do,"

She smiled, "Oh?"

I nodded tiredly, "Yes. And….. I want to be with you, and I want you to want to be with me, I want you to feel the way I do about you, I want to make you smile and laugh and never let you cry or let anyone hurt you. I love you, and can protect you better than any invisible prince. I want to protect you more."

She paused for what seemed like forever to my already seizing heart, "Wow," she finally returned, "that's a lot to take in,"

I couldn't breathe, she deliberated every syllable slowly and precisely as if she were saying them for the first time.

"It's kinda funny, actually,"

"What is?" I whispered.

She leaned across the table, "I've been waiting forever to hear you say that,"

"Y…you have?"

She nodded, "I love you too,"

I breathed a sigh of relief and squeezed her hand, "You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that."

She grinned, "I am too.

I smiled, reveling in my happiness.

"By the way, you were wrong,"

"Hmm?"

She smiled and melded her lips to mine softly, "He did come," ~